Thursday, September 29, 2011

As part of the BBCs process to close down one of their satellite transponder frequencies in a bid to save money, the BBC Sports streams have changed frequencies.

As mentioned on http://costablancasatellite.blogspot.com/2011/09/have-you-lost-bbc-news-bbc-alba-and-bbc.html , BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament have moved to another frequency.

The BBC Sports streams have now moved onto this vacated frequency.

Sky box and Freesat box users will not have to do anything, as your boxes will automatically update tot he new frequencies.

Users of non Sky and Non freesat "generic" or free to air boxes will have to perform a scan of the new frequency for the BBC SPorts Streams.

The new frequency for the BBC Sports stream is 11954 h 27.5 2/3.

They are currently showing as channels with the names of "6711 6712 6713 6714 6715".

This process by the BBC will mean that users of Sky boxes and Freesat boxes, who used to use the BBC News channel and the Red Button 3001 process to access the BBC Sports Multiscreen streams on a small satellite dish, will no longer be able to receive these BBC Sports stream, as you will no longer have access to a BBC channel on your small satellite dish to launch the Red Button application.

UPDATE:

At the moment (30/9/11) you can add the BBC Streams from the new BBC Sports stream frequency of 11954H.

Services
4
4
input frequency of 11954 H
find channels
press yellow next to the channel labelled as "6711 6712 6713 6714 6715" which will place a tick next to those channels.
Save

These stored channels will appear in the the Sky box's "other channels" list.

However, there will be video, but no audio.

So the current workaround is:

In the services menu, go to 4 systms set up,
then language and subtitles,
and change the Favourite language to anything other than English,

You can currently get audio on the new "streams", and its still fine on most of the other channels also

the BBC are cost cutting and reducing the number of BBC satellite TV frequencies they use for their BBC satellite TV channels.

This means that BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament will no longer be available on a small satellite dish in Spain.

Freesat box users may already have noticed that if you try to watch BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament ona small satellite dish in Spain, then you may be getting a "no signal" message on your screen.

This is because your Freesat receiver has been updated to look at the new BBC TV frequencies for BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament. The new satellite tv frequencies for BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament are only available on "big 1.8m 1.9m 2.4m satellite dishes" in Spain and the Costa Blanca.

It is expected that Sky box users in Spain using a small satellite dish will notice they are getting a "no satellite signal being received" message from Monday 26th September, when Sky box frequencies for BBC News, BBC Alba and BBC Parliament are changed.

AN out-of-control satellite plummeting to Earth at 18,000mph could land almost anywhere this evening – including Britain, Nasa warned last night.

The craft, which is the size of a bus, will break up on entering Earth’s atmosphere, flinging huge chunks of metal weighing up to 350lb across hundreds of miles.

NASA said it will only know two hours before impact where it will land – and even that prediction will only be accurate to the nearest 6,000 miles. It could be anywhere between the 57th parallel north, which crosses Britain at around Inverness, and the 57th parallel south, which passes just below South America.

Incredibly, the plummeting six-ton satellite has been caught on film.

Astrophotographer Thierry Legault's clip, shot in northern France, shows the 20-year-old Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), appearing as a beaming mass of light as it careers to Earth

Nasa orbital debris scientist Mark Matney admitted: ‘We know it is going to hit somewhere between 57 north and 57 south, which covers most of the inhabited world, unfortunately.’

However, scientists have ruled out the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite striking North America.
Its orbit was been altered by Nasa deliberately to make it crash – but it is now coming down sooner than expected due to changed atmospheric conditions.

It is falling to Earth at five miles per second, faster than previously thought and experts say there is a one in 3,200 chance of someone being hit by debris – more likely than getting a hole in one during a round of golf.

The 35ft Nasa craft, which weighs 6.5tonnes, was put into space in 1991 to monitor climate change, and ceased operations in 2005.
The falling satellite will look like a fiery meteor shower as it begins to burn up in the atmosphere.

It is expected to break into more than 100 pieces with most of it being destroyed before it hits the ground. But around 26 pieces are expected to make it through and the heaviest metal parts are expected to reach Earth, including titanium fuel tanks.

Nasa spokesman Steve Cole said: ‘Anybody who finds a piece of the satellite should stay away from it and call the police and let them deal with it.

‘It could be very hot or it could be dangerous. It depends on what speed the debris is going, but it could go be going fast enough to go through a house.

‘We will have to wait and see if the debris creates a crater. If it is spherical that is possible but if it has a less regular shape it may not be going so fast.’

Mr Cole added that more accurate predictions are expected throughout today and will be posted on Nasa’s website.
Debris routinely falls to Earth from space but the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite will be the biggest Nasa craft to fall uncontrolled from space in 32 years.

In 1979 Skylab, which was 15 times bigger, rained charred chunks on the Indian Ocean and western Australia after Nasa said it would land in South Africa.

In 2003 when the space shuttle Columbia exploded upon re-entry killing its entire crew, large chunks of its shell landed across Texas

From October, Digital + continues to expand the number of channels in high definition with the entry of SyFy Nat Geo Wild HD and HD.

The documentary channel Nat Geo Wild HD Movistar already in future coverage for customers, is committed to bring the viewer a unique insight into the natural world, the environment and the amazing species that live in it.

SyFy HD lands in the month of October in Spain by Digital +, being in the second channel of NBC Universal to incorporate High Definition version of the operator. The channel focuses on the genre of science fiction and fantasy and mainly enjoy the HD series Alias, Doctor Who, Haven, Sanctuary, Stargate Universe oWarehouse 13.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Watch all the Sky Sports channels for free on the weekend of September 24-25.

With the free weekend pass, Sky Sports are giving non-Sky Sports customers a whole weekend of world-class sport for free.

From 6am on Saturday September 24 to 6am on Monday 26, even if you don't have a Sky Sports subscription you can watch all the sporting action on all five Sky Sports channels including Sky Sports News.

And for those of you who have the HD box and an HD package with Sky or Virgin Media, you can feast your eyes on all the weekend's action in stunning HD on Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 & HD4 as well as Sky Sports News HD *

So how will it work?
If you are a Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk or Small World customer, all you have to do is simply turn to the Sky Sports Channel of your choice and enjoy!

Sky Sports HD1/1
So to catch the US PGA Tour Golf on Saturday night, just tune in to Sky Sports HD 1 (Sky Channel 401) or Sky Sports 1 (Sky Channel 408) between 7 and 10pm and with the press of a button you'll be taken to the lush greens of Atlanta.

Other great events on Sky Sports 1 and HD 1 include Solheim Cup golf (7am-7pm), the live npower Football League match Cardiff City v Leicester City(1.30pm-3.30pm); the Barclays Premier League clash QPR v Aston Villa (3.30pm-6pm) and not forgetting an evening of live International T20 Cricket with England v West Indies (6pm- 11pm).

Sky Sports HD2/2
On Sky Sports HD 2 (Sky Channel 402) and Sky Sports 2 (Sky Channel 409) there's more world class Barclays Premier League football with Manchester City v Everton (12.30pm-3.30pm), Live engage Super League (5pm-7.30pm) followed by a super Sunday of golf with another trip to the emerald greens of Ireland for the Solheim Cup (9.30am-5pm) and more from the US PGA Tour (5pm-11pm).

Then enjoy an evening at ringside with Fight Night Live (8.30pm-10.30pm). Sunday sees Exeter play Wasps in the Aviva Premiership (2.30pm-5pm) then it's off to Spain to watch live La Liga football (6pm-10.30pm)

Sky Sports HD4/4
On Sky Sports HD 4 (Sky Channel 404) and Sky Sports 4 (Sky Channel 454) let Saturday kick off with some live Scottish football with Dunfermline v Rangers from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League (12.30pm-3.30pm), changing gear for live Grand Prix Speedway (6pm-9pm). At 9pm jet off for a Saturday evening of more live sun-soaked La Liga football fixtures from Spain (9pm-11pm). Then on Sunday, touch down in the USA for awesome American football from the NFL.

Monday, September 12, 2011

The BBC is making some changes to BBC News, BBC Parliament and BBC Alba.

These channels will be moving from their present transponder / frequency (11954/H/27500), which is available nice and easy for expats as it is a wide European beam, to transponders / frequencies on the narrow beam Astra 2D.

This will mean that expats wanting to watch these three channels, BBC News, BBC Parliament and BBC Alba, and who cannot receive the narrow beam Astra 2 transmissions where domestic BBC, ITV, Channel4 and Channel 5 are to be found, will be affected, as they will no longer be able tor recevie these channels.

The changes are due to BBC cost cutting and the corporation will also be cutting the number of Red Button streams, thus releasing a whole wide band transponder, and saving the BBC an estimated £5m a year, by no longer renting that transponder.

This will also mean that those people who use a Sky box, and the BBC News Red Button service to access the BBC Sports Red Button serives, will no longer have access to a BBC channel to launch the red button appplication, and so they will lose access to the sports on those "bbc streams.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Sky TV will be freezing their subscription prices until the 31st August 2012, for customers who join prior to 31st August 2011.

It has also been confirmed that Sky TV will be changing thier channel structure.

Gone are the 6 genre mixes of Variety, Knowledge, Lifestyle, Music, Childrens and News and Events.

In comes Entertainment and Entertainment Extra.

From initial channel lists, it looks like the current Variety and Lifestyle genres will be in the Entertainment pack. This pack will cost £20.

The other four genres, Music, News and Events, Knowledge and Childrens, will be included in the Entertainment Extra mix. The cost of Entertainment and Entertainment Extra per month will be £25.

However, you will not lose channels with this shuffle around. In fact, Sky TV says that you will still receive all the channels you currently receive now. And some clients will receive more channels, yet, pay the same subscription as they currently do.

So, if you currently have two genres, for example the Variety and Childrens, and currently pay £20.50, then from 1st September, you will still pay £20.50, but will have access to all channel in the Entertainment pack, and all channels in the Entertainment Extra pack. But you will see your price increase in 1st September 2012 to £25 (or more if they increase it!).

All new Sky TV customers signing up after 31st August 2011 will pay either £20 or £25 per month.

So for 1 year you can be paying the same price as you are currently, but then in 1 years time your price may well increase.

The Sky Sports and Sky Movie channel prices have also been frozen for 1 year. So in addition to your "Genre" or Entertainment mix price, these prices will be applied for the premium Sky TV channels.

Single Movie Pack: £8.00
Both Movie Packs: £16.00
Single Sports Pack: £12.50
Both Sports Packs: £20.00
Single Movies and Single Sport Pack: £18.75
Both Movies and Single Sports Pack: £24.00
Both Sports and Single Movies Pack: £24.00
Both Sports and Both Movies Pack: £28.00

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